SOLA DEI GLORIA: GLORY TO GOD ALONE

In the last foundation of the Christian faith: Sola Dei Gloria, Reverend Dr. Albert Agbi expounds on how everything was made to give God the glory. Listen and be blessed!

Transcript

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You are about to listen to the song from Reverend Dr. Albert Epi. Now the word of God.

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So today we are looking at Soli Dio Gloria, which is to God alone be the glory. You know, to the glory of God and to the glory of God alone. And for the whole month of March, we've been looking at the five soulless. And we said the five soulers became necessary because in the 1500s there was a lot of error in the church. The church of Christ, which started, you know, after the resurrection of Jesus, you know, had gone into a lot of error. The scriptures were not available for common people. They were selling salvation, you know, all sorts of things were happening. You know, they were selling forgiveness until some people rose up and went back to the scriptures. And so when they went back to the scriptures, five core pillars were coined from all that happened. Martin Luther had pasted on the church door 95 thesis on how a man or woman is made right with God. It means that sinners, how are sinners made right with God? How did we become safe? Or how are we delivered from the bondage or the clause of sin? And so the five solars came from the things that they discovered. And we said number one was the scriptures and the scriptures alone. And what we said about that was that the parameters of our belief system is determined by the scriptures. It's not determined by a dream, a vision of a man of God. Christianity is a settled religion. What it means is that we are not adding anything to it. It's been determined by Jesus Christ and his apostles. Bible said that in the text group by the apostles' doctrine. The apostles' doctrine is the teachings of the apostles. And the teaching of the apostles were the things they heard from Jesus directly in his life, not in a dream. Because whoever appeared to you that you are calling Jesus Christ, you don't know. And even you yourself, you don't know whether it's not the Jesus you see in Hollywood movies. The reason why the parameters of the faith were limited to the apostles' doctrine was because the apostles worked with Jesus. Those who walk with me know my heart. Those who have been with me through the years know I have zero tolerance for excuses. I am someone who expects consistency. If you are around me and you are not consistent and I don't say anything, you are not deep enough. Because those who are close enough know that when the relationship is becoming deeper, then the level of truth I tell you is also the level of correction, the level of attention, the level of expectation increases. If you are in my life and I have no expectations of you and you are just flowing and all that, the relationship is not deep. You know, so you realize that the disciples were corrected by Jesus because they were close to him. And so when Jesus died and they started teaching on the parameters of the faith, it was because they worked with Jesus, they knew his heart, they knew his word. There were many things that in the scriptures are oh when the crowds then he gathered his disciples and he taught them and he explained to them the parables. So they are the ones who have the ability to tell us what he told them. Hey, hallelujah. So we said the scriptures because it is their words that we find in the scriptures. And even Apostle Paul, who didn't work physically with Jesus, he has to be accepted by the twelve. You know, that's why he said, I've seen the Lord. Do you got them saying? Because you cannot be his apostle if you have not seen him. No one can claim to know my heart if they've never met me. Someone in the UK, you've never met me, you've never seen me, I've never had any conversation. And he said, You know my heart. No. So when Paul came on the scene, initially he was resisted. That's why, in all his letters, you say, Paul, an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, a born servant, and he has to explain himself. Like you go explain tire. He said, I am one, because the what we call apostolicity is the ability of a person to have physically walk with the Christ. Hey, hallelujah. He said, It is only the fish that comes from under the water that knows what goes on there. You can't you can't be online and be describing seabed issues. Hey, hallelujah. So the scriptures and the scriptures alone, do you get me? The parameters of our belief system is not what your church is teaching. If what your church is teaching is not consistent with the scriptures, we reject what your church is teaching. What your your pastor is teaching, your apostle, your prophet, whatever we are teaching should be consistent with the scriptures and the scriptures alone. And we said another level of the soulless. I'm doing a summary for those who are hearing it for the first time. The second thing is that grace and grace alone, that we are saved by grace, not of our works. And we said the grace of God is the person of Jesus Christ. Titus 2, verse 11 says that the grace of God, which would bring salvation, appeared unto all men, teaching us. So grace is not some mystical thing in the spirit, unmerited favor. Yes, grace is unmerited favor, but Jesus was that unmerited gift we we received as sinners. We didn't deserve him, and God gave him to us. So the grace of God is the person of Jesus Christ. And we said a man is saved by the grace of Jesus Christ alone. Not because we are good people, not because we have character, not because we have discipline. It is by his grace and his grace alone. So that's the second solar. Then the third one is through faith. It is our belief in his finished works, in what he has done, in what he has accomplished that makes us stand right with God. Because the question the reformers were asking or were asked is how is a man or woman made right with God? That's it. We who are sinfully bankrupt, how is the relationship which was destroyed by sin restored? So we said by the scriptures, it's what the scriptures see. Number two, it's the grace of God, what God is able to accomplish by his grace in our lives. Then number three, faith and faith alone. Hallelujah. Then last week I spoke about Christ and Christ alone, it is Jesus. And today we are talking about to the glory of God and to the glory of God alone. So to understand this, Romans chapter 11, verse 36 says that for of him and through him and to him are all things. If you understand your life that you were created for his pleasure, do you God I'm saying? You were created for unto him and to him and for him are all things. To whom be glory forever. And because he owns all things, the glory can only go to him. A pastor cannot take his glory, a prophet cannot take his glory. You yourself cannot take his glory. Because he did all those things. You say you are smart. Did you create your brain? It's not your studies. Hey, did we sit in the same class and some pass and some failed? You see, the day you recognize that it is for him, unto him. And through him, and to him are all things, including your academics, your relationships. So you can't use marriage to go out away from God because even now marriage is a description of Christ and his church. The relationship is not for you. There is nothing which is about you, it is unto his glory. We celebrate him because he made all things. Your beauty did you create yourself? The freshness you are feeling. Like Pastor said, he's judging all of us. Dark, like melanin. How much melanin did you put in your own skin? Those who have long hair, what did you do for your hair to grow? The hair cream you are using that is working, another person used and they still have Santo. You got what I'm saying. The shirt you are wearing and you are looking fresh inside. Someone else can wear the same shirt and they won't look fresh. It is for him, through him, and unto him are all things. So if you are beautiful, it is to his glory. If you are intelligent, it is to his glory. If you are a medical doctor, a banker, a nurse, a teacher, if you are nothing, even to his glory, hallelujah, are all things. Number one is that God is the source of all things. Give him glory. First Corinthians chapter 8, verse 6 says that yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. Oh, hallelujah. James chapter 1, verse 17 says that every good and perfect gift comes from above, comes down from the Father of light in whom there is no variableness. He says, anything good in your life came from him. Everything good came from him. Why are you living the way you are living? As though you are the one going to work for something, as though you are the one going to accomplish something with your life. You see, the way we live and the way we treat the church of God, the way we treat the things of God, it is because of our understanding of life. That then you realize that all things are for him, to him, and through him, you realize that he becomes number one in your life. Number one, God is the source of all things. This kills pride. Those who hits their chests. I am beautiful, I am handsome, I'm intelligent. Did you choose your tribe? We are fancies, we are Evers, we are shanties. What did you do to contribute to the tribe you became part of? What did you do? What did you do? I pray that this understanding will kill anything that makes you hit your chest. Anything that makes you exalt yourself. Your life, your gifts, your opportunities, your ministry, your intellect all originate from him. Number two, God is the sustainer of all things, depend on him. A hallelujah. Number one is he is the source of all things, give him glory. Number two, he is the sustainer of all things, depend on him. Colossians chapter 1, verse 16 says that for by him are all things created. Then I'll jump. He says that all things and he is before all things, and in him all things consist. What he created, he is able to keep. Do you got what I'm seeing? Things, relationships that survive, it's not because of anything people did do. God is what keeps relationships. I'm telling you, if you like be a good person, you can still earn the premium tears. The day you realize that whatever you think you are doing to hold it together, it can fall. You go and ask students who studied. You know, there is something about final MBC HB exams. You know, if you've not written it before, let's tell you. In that exams, there is always one student who everybody knew was a killer who fails. You don't get me. There is always that student who studied, who was available for all the lectures, who was in the reading room, who solved the PASCO, who we all knew was intelligent, who write the same exam. And you see, the earlier you realize that in him all things consist. He sustains all things, not because we are hardworking, we are diligent. When ask those who went on dates. In relationships, you think it's the date nights, should we tell you? You think it's the acts of service? When ask those who are carrying buckets of water for their girlfriends. When ask those who bought flowers, those who bought few argon, those who bought Mercedes. We thank God for all these things. And if you get the chance and the money, do it. But we are saying that the day your eye opens, that he is the sustainer. He is the sustainer. You look up always. Businesses don't succeed because CEOs are hardworking and they are intelligent. There were many intelligent CEOs who lost their businesses. We thank God for hard work and by all means work hard. But the day you realize that he is the sustainer, even your Christian life, salvation was by him. But your ability to live to God's glory, the Bible says that and he works in you both to will and to do his good pleasure. He is working the work in you. I pray you don't, you know, some of you are resisting the work he's doing in you. God is trying to make you a righteous man, but you say we are for the streets. You got what I'm saying? It's like a prodigal son. You have a place at home. You say, No, I want to, I want to be among the pigs. You know, that's you resisting the work he's trying to accomplish in you. He's trying to make you a prayerful man. But he said, No, we want to be prayerless. Anytime a prayer notification comes, you say, No, we are busy. Are you seeing your life? Today I'm talking to you. Hallelujah. He's the sustainer of all things. He can sustain you. Your pastor can sustain you. In him, all things consist. Acts chapter 17, verse 20. It says that for in him we live, in him we move, in him we have our being. He sustains all things. You know, the worlds that he created, he is able to uphold them by the word of his power. He keeps it. And that's why we give him glory. Oh, hallelujah. Number three, God is the purpose of all things. Live for his glory. You see, all things begin to make sense when you realize that we are created for his pleasure. You are not created for the pleasure of another man. And that's why you don't let another person judge whether you are beautiful or not. Because the creator said, I want a dark, slim, and short one. Let me create him too. For my pleasure. When I look upon him or her, I want to say, Wow, I made that one too. Yes. And I want to create a tall one. Don't let Hollywood and men and women's definition of beauty to make you think less of yourself. He created some with big buttons. And the one who created another one with a flat one. Someone said yesterday I was watching a video, and someone said the tummy was never made to be flat. It was never meant to be like a snake's tummy. Do you go down and say it was meant to be take care of yourself, take care of yourself. But you know, he is the purpose of all things. The purpose, the purpose of marriage is him. The purpose of all human pursuit and intellect. Have you seen how proud I was when Pastor Bright was killing you know his academic? Oh, he's my son, he's my son. Yeah. It's a proud father moment. You know, the last time they sent me a video of every writing. They taught her one to 20. Then out of nowhere, she was counting 31, 32, 33, 34. And then I just say, you know where she got the jeans from. You know, you know, you know, argue about these things. Now now you are coming to argue. Oh, who is daddy? That's what God is doing about you right now. Look at that one, look at that one, look at that one. I made her, I made him. He is the purpose of all things. He's the source of all things, he is the sustainer of all things, and he is the purpose behind all things. The purpose is not your pleasure, it is his pleasure. Sometimes in his pleasure, we find small pleasure, but we don't make our pleasure the goal. Your marriage is the purpose of your marriage, is his pleasure, not your pleasure. If you seek your pleasure, you will destroy it. Because you now end up being with someone who you are enjoying, but he is not enjoying. Can you imagine? Like God has frowned his face at your marriage, but we are all clapping for you. Social media is clapping because you are picture perfect. He is the purpose behind all things. I pray that once you are sick, your business, the purpose behind your business is his glory. That God can look upon it and say, Wow, look at that one, look at that one, look at that one. I'm his father. I gave him the gifts, I gave him the opportunity. I pray that what you do with the opportunities God has given you, God will stand somewhere. God will never say, like you said about Saul, I regret making him king. Yes, that's what God said. At the end of the life of Saul, we said, I regret making him king. God will never look at your life and regret giving you the opportunity he has given you. One of the things I told myself as a pastor is that God will never regret making me a pastor of this church. Whatever it will take for it to work, I will do. Yeah, it's not been easy. There are many days I wanted to give up, but I said it will never be said of me anywhere by God that I regret making him a pastor of that church. And I pray for you that God will not regret making you a member of this church. Because as a member, you have responsibilities. You are also supposed to make it work. And as a member, you are sabotaging, you are gossiping, you are saying, Have you heard what he has said? Have you heard the pastor doesn't like you? Pastor doesn't say you are destroying it. I pray that God will never regret bringing you here. I pray God will never regret bringing you into someone's life. Because of the way you match the person's hearts. God, when you know you were an answered prayer until you started showing your true colors. God, you know, that your spouse was praying. Oh, God sent a godly man. Wow, now you have come. And you are everything but godly. God send me a kind woman. You have now come with your stingy self. Destroying things that God has purposed. He is the purpose behind all things. It is his agenda, it is his not ours. Hallelujah. There are many relationships men will never clap for, but heaven would be on their feet. You see, when Stephen was being stoned, the Bible said, I see the sun standing by the throne. I see there was an applause in heaven, and people were sad, but heaven was jubilating. In the manger where you see poverty, darkness, and cow dunk and sheep dung, and what angels were jubilating over the lowly estates. Listen, many things men clap for heaven is sad about. And there are things that heaven jubilates about. You know one of them? The church of God. The church of God. The son gave his life for the church. Hey. You see, it is revealed in heaven's attitude to certain things. My attitude to the things of this life. I don't have pleasure in many things. If you like, ask my wife. I'm telling you, many things that I do it. Yes, but many things don't bring me pleasure. We are not doing it as a goal. You should see that we are excited coming to the house of God. Because you see the king. King David said, I want to be a gatekeeper in his house. I want to be an usher. A king who had a palace. You you are in a student's hotel, you are sharing with three people.

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You don't like his house.

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It's one of the most exciting days when the church is gathering. I pray that the excitement for God, for prayer, for his word will be restored to your life. It will give you. You see, when you look at the attitude of godly men to the house of God, your attitude to it will change. You know, I realize at the end of the day that when your mindset changes about life, you live differently. Yeah. You live differently. You live differently. It is his the purpose behind. I can end the seven here, finished. When your life is seen through his purpose, not yours. Your life changes. Your attitude changes. You are not for the applause of men again. You are to you are you are asking God, does this bring you glory? Does this make you happy? You are more interested in how God feels about it than how you feel or how people feel or how your parents feel. Hallelujah. Number four, God will not share his glory. Guard your heart. Those of you who are taking God's glory. They say you are you are smart, power. They say, Oh, you know, we we try our best. We can't help it. We can't help it. Wow. Isaiah chapter 42, verse 8. It says, I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory I will not give to another. Listen, make sure the things that are for God. Then you don't give to Caesar. I'm telling you. Don't stop ascribing things to yourself, to your family, to her. Haven't you seen way what children come from spiritual homes? Haven't you seen dumb people come from intelligent people? This thing I'm saying, Avery, you know where she got it from. Really? I pray for you that you will not take God's glory. You would give it right back to Him. You know, many times in my day, when things are going right, I just say, see God, see God. I have to learn it. When things are working out, you see, if God leaves you to bring all the things you have planned there, your vision will be small. I pray for you, hallelujah. That you will give him the glory. Every area, everything that works. He says, See God, see God, not see me. See my intelligence, see my hard work. There are many hard workers who never have their things and opportunity you have. Hey, hallelujah. He will not share his glory. In Acts chapter 12, verse 21, it said, Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyr and Sidon, but they came to him with one accord. And having made blast blastuse the king's personal aid, their friend, they asked for peace because their country was supplied with food by the king's country. So on a third day, Herod arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, the voice of a god and not a man. Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. Wow. But the word of the Lord grew and multiplied. Some of you are taking the fans. Say, Oh, glory be to God. But the fans. You know, Herod spoke. Some of you are orators. When you speak, it's like, wow, what wisdom. He said, because I went to Motown.

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Wow. Wow.

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Someone came to you and said, How did you pass the exams and became the best? Then you said, Oh, we did a few group studies here and there, you know, and we're very diligent as students. We are very early on the word. Have you seen other people didn't do that? The Bible said he was eaten by wings because when he spoke, people said, Wow, the voice of a God. He was taking the fans. The Bible said he was struck by an angel. I pray for you that you will never take God's glory. You never take the glory due to God. The heaven is low. You will not take the glory main for God. Hey, hallelujah. All of you are planning your victory speech. When things aligned, when you finally marry, you say, Let me show you how three ways to toast a woman, four ways to attract the godly man, be a virtuous woman, fast and pray. Wow. You sit on a podcast, then you be you be annoyed. Wow, wow. Then you toxic as if you have figured life. John 17, verse 4. The last point is Jesus Christ reveals and restores God's glory. He says, I have glorified you on earth and I have finished the work which you have given to me to do. Jesus Christ. It is to God's glory. I pray that the works you do, people will see and will not say he is smart. They can tell that there is God behind this. Because we know you. I pray that when men least expect you, may you emerge. When they least expect your business, your opportunities, may you emerge. When God was choosing Moses, he said, I cannot speak. God said, Listen, I'll choose a prophet for you to speak on your behalf. I pray for you that when you cancel yourself, God would appoint you, God will bring you so that the glory will go to him. Moses couldn't stand anywhere and say, Because I'm a good speaker, that was why I could convince Pharaoh. No. You know, some of us want to do it so that we can say it is because we have certain connections. The way God operates, you better start canceling things that you want to ascribe for your success and all that. Sometimes people who should come through for you will not come through. You know why? Because if they come through, if they came through, you would have been saying that, hey, if not for my ankle. Sometimes the people who you thought will still will stand by you, will stay by you, will not stay. So that at the end of the day, only God can receive the glory. Lift up your two hands and say, God, work a work in my life that only you can take glory for. Yes, only you can take glory for. If sometimes God will intentionally make sure there's not enough money. So that when it finally happens, all the people who could have come through, who didn't come through, who didn't pick your call, who said, send your CV. Let's see what we can do about it. And who did nothing? On the people who said, Listen, you know, call me back. And who didn't come through? It will still happen. Tell anybody it will still happen. But not the way you thought it will happen. You will still marry. Hey, hallelujah. Maybe just not the boy you thought you will marry or the girl you say, but it will bring glory to him. One day when we see your children and we see what God has done in your life, may you not receive the see. In fact, may God do the work so much that you cannot take the glory. You cannot take the glory. You cannot take the glory. The summary of all I've been preaching today is that for those of you who come from poor backgrounds, those of you who come from rich backgrounds, you realize very early that nothing that will happen in my life I can take glory for. Nothing that will happen in my marriage. Nothing that will happen in the life of my children. Nothing. Nothing. In my academics. I want you to ascribe and say, God, get some glory out of this life. I mean, some of us were not meant to be in medical school. When I finished senior high school, I had aggregate 17. I'm not one of you. Do you get me? Pastor Bright is avoiding eye contact. Those who just had eight A's, they deserve to be here. When I see the places God is bringing. And you know, sometimes those of you who have eight A's, you also have a place in life. But the way God will do it, He will destroy anything you can see in yourself. I'm saying all this because some of you are there. The pride of beauty, the pride of tribe, the pride of family. God will humble you. But your life will still turn out well. So that you cannot take the glory. You will not take the glory for being outspoken. It will still happen. And for those of you who have some failure, God didn't make you fail. He allowed it. Has happened on the journey. Or some difficulty has happened. I pray that at the end of the day, it will bring God glory. There are different people at different stages of their life right now. There are business people who are struggling, professionals who are, who things are not going the way they expect. Students who are struggling to pay fees, students who are struggling with certain places in the academics. I'm telling you that the dream will still happen. We will still get there. Just that we cannot take. By the time we get there, like Joseph, you can you said that you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. The journey will take away anything that makes you hit your chest. So, Father, for all who have heard this sermon, may their lives give glory to you. May our lives continually point to you that if not for the Lord who was on our side, may physical strength not take the glory. May intellect not take your glory. May our families and our religious persuasion and our tribe not take the glory that you deserve. In the name of Jesus, may all glory, all honor be onto your name. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.